The new Manhattan location uses Arby's new design, which is scheduled to be rolled out at 60 new restaurants and 160 remodeled locations this year. In addition to a sleek, modern seating area, the new design allows a more open kitchen, making it the perfect opportunity for Business Insider to sneak behind the scenes.

Hollis Johnson

Arby's meat is sourced from a wide variety of locations. Some meat arrives ready to slice and serve, such as the brisket, has already been smoked for 13-plus hours at a smokehouse in Texas. Meanwhile, the iconic roast beef is slow-roasted for about four hours in the store daily. Here's the oven where the roast beef is cooking, marinating in a roasting bag that, while less than aesthetically appealing, is definitively not filled with liquid meat.

Hollis Johnson

Arby's gave Business Insider the step-by-step rundown of how to create the brisket sandwich, which helped spark the company's turnaround with a successful launch in 2013.

Hollis Johnson

While Arby's roast beef is sliced to order, brisket is usually sliced ahead of time, earlier the day it is served.

Hollis Johnson

The Smokehouse Brisket Sandwich is made up of brisket, Gouda cheese, and crispy onions.

Hollis Johnson

Before the sandwich gets put together, the brisket and cheese are heated up for about 15 seconds, to melt the cheese and warm the meat.

Hollis Johnson

The company is currently exploring different ways to heat ingredients used in sandwiches.

Hollis Johnson

The sandwich is topped with mayonnaise and BBQ sauce, but not the iconic "Arby's sauce," which is essentially a mix of ketchup, garlic, onion, hot sauce, and various spices.

Hollis Johnson

Put it all together, and you have the finished product: A sandwich featuring a brisket smoked for hours several hundred miles away, but with no mystery meat in sight.